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After being cooped up in my house for nearly three weeks with a throat infection, I was practically running to the car for my lunch date with Sue, who'd been sidelined just as long with similar symptoms. We sympathized with each other over a belly-busting meal at the family-owned Wintonaire.
The mood
Depends on where you sit. The large bar area has a modern feel, with seven flat-screen TVs, but the adjacent room for dining only is more country, with checkered tablecloths, wrought-iron chandeliers, and artificial flowers in pottery vases. The restaurant's slogan makes sense: "Your new old favorite."
The food
Sue had never had Beef on Weck ($7.99), so I talked her into experimenting. This one was topped with a crispy roll, decked with caraway seeds and rock salt, that Sue complimented at least three times. She thought the roast beef was tender, even better once combined with the side of horseradish and dipped in the side of au jus, and said that she'd definitely order one again — next time with a different side dish.
The homemade chips she'd been so eager to try were difficult to get through — they were so salty, some of them looked like they'd gotten caught in a snowstorm. (Sue figured they got hit with the salt shaker twice by accident.) The ones on the bottom of the pile, sprinkled with a nice mix of salt and pepper, were deliciously, rattle-the-brain crunchy.
Tired of my recent bland diet, I decided to splurge on the Browncroft Beef Buster ($7.29), a hefty burger in size if not in weight, cooked medium as requested and crowned with copious amounts of perfectly melted cheddar cheese, soft bacon strips and grilled onions that spilled onto the plate. Served on a doughy roll, the burger arrived without the advertised tomatoes, but there was so much going on, I didn't miss them. When asked if I wanted the chips or would rather upgrade to waffle fries, sweet potato fries or onion rings, I chose the onion rings without question. They were light and easy to bite (and an extra $2).
The Wintonaire has a fairly extensive menu of American fare and themed food nights (including steak on Tuesdays and Italian on Thursdays).
The drinks
Full bar. Beers start at $3.50; beer towers that hold about 2.5 pitchers cost $10 for domestics and $16 for imports. Wide wine selection (starts at $5/glass and $24/bottle). Free refills on soda and juice ($2). We had water.
The damage: $22.26
Next time ... I'll get the Stuffed Rigatoni — cheese-filled rigatoni tossed with feta cheese and tomatoes in a white wine sauce for $13.49.
Wintonaire
Where: 628 N. Winton Road
When: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday; noon to 2 a.m. Sunday.
Call: (585) 730-8350.
Web: wintonaire.com.
